‘Magra is dead. Murdered,’ said Rayster. It took a moment for the words to register.
‘They killed a woman?’
‘Aye. Your father has a broken arm and a musket ball in his shoulder. He slew several of the killers. He would have been killed himself had Kaelin not rescued him.’
The words did not fully sink in. Chara was still horrified over the murder of Magra. ‘Why would they kill her?’ she asked. ‘What harm has she ever caused?’
‘Who can understand the hearts of evil men?’ answered Rayster. ‘How is your grandmother faring?’
‘She is dying – slowly,’ Chara told him, aware that Kaelin had walked away. For one dreadful moment Chara thought he would continue walking all the way back to the great house. But he paused close to a cluster of boulders and sat down. Rayster saw the concern in her eyes.
‘He has come to apologize to you,’ he said softly. ‘If you care for him you had better consider some conciliatory move. He has great pride and if he walks away now I doubt he will come back.’
‘I have pride too,’ she snapped. ‘I won’t crawl to any man.’
‘Then have the courtesy to thank him for saving your father’s life,’ he responded. Only then did she recall his earlier words. Kaelin Ring had rescued Call Jace.
Glancing to her left she saw that Kaelin had stood and was once more moving away. ‘Kaelin,’ she called out. He stopped and half turned. Chara approached him. ‘I want to thank you for what you have done.’
‘And now you have,’ he said, his voice angry. ‘So goodbye to you.’
‘Is it goodbye that you want?’ she countered. ‘For if it is you can have it.’
‘What right have you to be angry with me?’ he asked her. ‘I told you how I felt, and you walked away from me. You left me in your father’s house without a word.’
‘My grandmother was taken ill.’
‘And that prevented you from leaving a message for me? I asked you to marry me. You left the room. That was it. You treated me with such disrespect and now you are angry?’
‘She is coming!’ Rayster called out. Chara and Kaelin glanced towards the water. A white-haired woman in a tattered robe was slowly paddling the boat towards the shoreline.
Kaelin moved past Chara and ran down to the water’s edge, wading out to haul the small craft up onto the bank. Reaching out he lifted the Dweller clear of the boat. ‘It is good to see you again, Wyrd,’ he said. ‘You gladden my heart.’
‘In this land I am the Dweller on the Lake,’ she said, ‘but it is good to see you too, my dear. And you, Chara,’ she added, as the red-haired girl approached them.
‘What of me?’ asked Rayster. ‘Will no-one ever be pleased to see me?’
The Dweller smiled. ‘Always, clansman. Come, let us sit in Shrine Hollow. It is a peaceful place, and it radiates harmony. I do not need angry thoughts around me.’
The white-haired woman led them up the short slope and into the trees. Chara followed her, Rayster and Kaelin bringing up the rear. The Dweller seated herself on a flat rock. ‘Call Jace does not need me,’ she said. ‘His wounds will heal, though his left arm will ever be weak and his shoulder will pain him when the cold weather comes.’ She glanced at Chara. ‘Rayga died this morning, as you were walking the mountains. She slipped away peacefully, and she was not in pain. I was with her as she began her journey, and she sent you her love.’
Tears spilled to Chara’s cheeks. ‘Her life was good,’ said the Dweller. ‘She added to the magic of the land. By all means grieve at her passing, but know that only her body is dead. Her spirit has moved on, and will find great joy.’
She looked up at Kaelin. ‘What would you ask of me, clansman?’
‘How is Grymauch? Has he declared his love for Aunt Maev?’
‘No. He will. I have seen it.’
‘And will she wed him?’
‘He will take her in his arms, and she will love him,’ said the Wyrd. ‘Now let us talk of you, Ravenheart, and of you, Flame on the Water. What is it you desire? Is it to rail at each other, scratch and claw?’